Women´s World Cup Review: USA, Australia survive group of death

Australia and United States progressed from the Women’s World Cup’s group of death on Tuesday, while Cameroon edged out Switzerland with a comeback.

USA defeated Nigeria 1-0 to top Group D, while Australia held on for a 1-1 draw with Sweden to finish second and automatically progress to the round of 16.

Captain Lisa De Vanna scored the critical goal for Australia, latching onto a long ball in the fifth minute before finishing calmly past Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, who inexplicably stayed on her line.

While Sofia Jakobsson equalised 10 minutes later, Australia survived Sweden’s increasingly desperate attacks to reach four points in the group’s standings, with the USA (7) in first position.

The results left Sweden third with three points, meaning Pia Sundhage’s side will need to wait and see if they finish in the top four third-placed teams to reach the last 16.

In Group C, reigning champions Japan completed a perfect group stage with a 1-0 triumph over Ecuador, although questions may be raised of the title-holders after they only managed one goal against a team that had conceded 15 in their previous two games.

In the other match in Group C, Switzerland gave up a half-time lead as Gabrielle Onguene struck a minute after the break before Madeleine Ngono notched the winner in the 62nd minute in Cameroon’s 2-1 win.

Despite the loss, Switzerland were the second third-placed team – behind Netherlands – to progress due to their three points and +7 goal difference.

Sweden (3, +0) await the results of Wednesday’s games for their fate to be decided.

With USA – the 2011 runners-up, 2011 semi-finalists Sweden, Asia’s second-best side and the African champions drawn together – Group D quickly took on ‘group of death’ status in Canada.

USA only needed a draw to advance but accounted for Nigeria thanks to Abby Wambach’s volley just before half-time.

Nigeria lost Sarah Nnodim to a second-half red card and the plucky Africans could not recover in Vancouver.